TRADITIONAL THINKING

NEW SCIENCE

Your biceps and triceps are built quicker when doing compound moves before isolation moves.

BENEFITS

Improved arm strength; mass muscle growth.

HOW

Instead of training your arms as one muscle group on one of your training days, separate them into two groups, training your triceps with your “chest” day and your biceps with your “back” day. Start each day with your compound moves, like bench presses, push-ups and dips for your chest day, then move onto the specific (or isolation) triceps exercises like pull-downs and kickbacks. With your “back” day, start with wide-arm pull-ups and seated rows, then move onto your isolated biceps exercises like biceps curls.

WHY

By doing the compound exercises before the isolated exercises, your biceps and triceps are forced to push and pull heavier weights than they would face when only doing isolated arm exercises such as curls and kickbacks.
And more weight resistance equals more muscle growth. Simple muscle maths. The compound moves also tire out the major muscle groups, meaning that they can’t help your biceps and triceps in the isolation moves.